Ventilating wall block



Sept. 23, 1952 I N. 'COWAN 2,611,310

VENTILATING WALL BLOCK Filed May 27, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET l Sept. 23, 1952 COWAN 2,611,310

VENTILATING WALL BLOCK Filed May 27, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented 7 Sept. 23, 1952 VENTILATING WALL nLooK Nathan Cwan, Melrose Park, Ill., assignorto Air Rectifiers, Inc..- y

' Application May27,1947, SerialNo. 750,855

' 3 Claims. (01. 98-118") This invention is directed to ventilating wall blocks adapted to be incorporated in walls formed of light-transmitting blocks, such as glass blocks. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 735,719, filed March 19, 1947, now Patent No. 2,565,122.

The principal object of this inventionis toprovide improved wall blocks capable of'being' incorporated in walls formed of light-transmitting blocks which conform in size and appearance to such light-transmitting blocks, which also provide for transmission of light, which are provided with means for air to pass therethrough for 'ventilating purposes and for controlling the passage of air therethrough, which are provided with means for preventing Water and rain" from passing therethrough which are provided with means for preventing insects frompassing therethrough, which are adapted for-'use instraight walls or curving walls, and which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled. 7

Further objects of this inventionreside in the details of construction of the ventilating Wall block and cooperative relation between the component parts thereof. Preferably the ventilating wall block is fabricated from sheet metal with the component parts thereof soassoc'aiated as to form a rigid construction and yet be inexpensively manufactured and pleasing in appearance.

Other objects and advantage will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification; claims and drawings, in whichj I I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of two ventilating wall blocks connected together;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of one of the ventilating wall blocks partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of-the ventilating Wall block taken substantially along'the line3-3ofFig.2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4- 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view through a portion of the front panel of the ventilating block; a

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the connector for the ventilating blocks; I

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the connector; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective v'iewof a ventilating wall block of this invention for use in curving walls.

The ventilating Wall'block of this invention is generally designated at 10 and includes a hollow sheet metal body formed in two parts H and '12. The front part I l telescopically receives the rear part 12 and the two are suitably secured together as by welding, as shown at l3. The'side'walls of the hollow sheet metal body are 'preferably'in dented, as at [4, to assist in the cementing of the ventilating blocks in the wall. The front of the hollow sheet metal body is provided with an inturned flange l5 and the rear thereof is provided with an inturned flange [6. Two of the sides of the inturned flange 16 are bent inw'ardlytoform side flanges IT. A strip 18 extends across the rear of the hollow sheet metal body and is'p'io vided with ears Iii-for securing the: sametothe side wall of the ventilating block. A frontfpanel 2i overlies the inturned flanges 15 on the. front of the hollow body and the'panel is provided with internal side flanges 22 extending into the hollow sheet metal body and theside flanges terminate in internal shoulders 23; The front panel 2| and the inturned front .flange 15 are provided with matching holes for receiving sheet metal screws 24' for securing the front panel to the front of thehollow sheet metalbody. The internal sidefianges 22 are providediwith a..plurality, of-"spa-ced perforations or channels 26, which perforations or channels are vertically arranged parallel to thexfront face of the' v'entilating block. In the formationof the perfora tions ZBthere are provided lip 21 -xtendingoutwardly. The side flanges 22 are alsorprovided with perforations or channels 28 'providedwith lips 29 and preferably theseperforations-or'channels are obliquely arranged. behind. the perfora tions26.= Vertically arranged louvres: 31 1 are received-1n the perforations or channels 26 and-obliquely-ar ranged louvres 32 are received in the perforations or channels 28. and are thus carriedby the. side flanges22 therebetween'... Th lips/e21 and' 29 cooperate with, the ends of-the'louvres-M andr32 to prevent movement thereof with respect to the side flanges,- thus, securely; holding the louvres in place. The louvres are preferablymade .of glass or other light-transmitting material.

A screen 34 provided with a frame.:3,5 is interposed between the internal shoulders-23 and .the louvres 32, and-the screen 34 is1preferably=core rugated so as to engage the: louvres 32 and :thus hold the screen tightly in place against theinternal shoulders 23.

1 The internal side flanges H at the rear of the ventilating block-are provided with pivot holes 31 for pivotally supporting a pair of doors '3 8 which are preferably made of'glass or otherlight transmittingmaterial. The doors 38 -are'= carried by 'brackets 39 with a resilient material'flflsuch as sponge rubber interposed therebetweem" The brackets 39 carry pins 4| which are received in the pivot holes 31. The resiliency of the resilient material and the resiliency of the side flanges l1 form a friction seal between the sides flanges l1 and the door brackets 39 thereby preventing the passage of air when the doors are closed and thereby frictionally maintaining the doors in their adjusted positions. When the doors 38 are closed, they abut against the'flanges I6 and, the strip l8 to form a seal for the doors at these points. The doors may be adjusted to any posi tion about their respective pivots 4|. 3

The louvres 3| and 32 are so arranged asto keep rain from passing through the ventilating block but still permit the passage of air therethrough and the screen prevents th passage of insects therethrough. The doors operate to'regulate the passage of air through the hollow sheet metal body and hence regulate the ventilation, and since the doors and louvres are made of glass or similar light transmitting material, light is permitted to pass through the ventilatingblock. The general configuration of the ventilating blockissimilar to that of a conventional glass block utilized in forming glass block walls, and since the ventilatingblock passes light almost as readily asdoes the conventional glass block the ventilating block harmonizes well with the glass blocks and at-the same time provides for ventilation. I If it is desired to mechanically connect two such ventilating blocks or-any number of such ventilatingrblocks, aconnector may be utilized. The connector 45 may be made of sheet metal and includes end portions 46 and 48 fitting over the ventilating blocks and intermediate portions 41 and 49 which are channel'shaped in cross section., The. end of the intermediate portion 49 is provided with an end portion 50 which is spot welded to the end portion 46, as at 51, to form a unitary construction. The end portion 46 and 48. are provided with holes 52 for receiving'sheet metal screws to secure the connector 45 to the ventilating blocks (0. The sides of the channel portions 41 and 49 are resilient'and form aseal between them and the sides of the ventilating blocks. Fig. 1 shows two ventilating block cone nectedatogether by aoconnector 45. a

Fig; 8' discloses a ventilating block 55 of th type illustratedin Figs. 1 to 5 but adapted for curved 'walls instead of "straight walls. Preferably the louvres 56 thereof are vertically arranged and the rear of the ventilating block is preferably provided with a single vertically arranged door 51.

While for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has been disclosed, other forms thereof may'become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited only'by the scope of the appended claims and prior: art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow sheet metal body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and, adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an integral inturned flange on the front face of the sheet metal body all about the front, opening, sheet metal louver supporting members providing channels for the reception of the ends of louvers, means for securing the sheet metal louver supporting members to the sheet metal body adjacent thel front opening thereof, louvers carried having pivot pins extending into the holes in the side flanges for pivotally mounting the door in the rear opening of the sheet metal body between the side flanges, a screen within the sheet metal body, and means for supporting the screen in the sheet metal body immediately behind the louvers.

2. A ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow sheet metal body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an integral. inturned flange on the front face of the sheet metal-body all-about the front opening, sheet metal louver supporting members providing channels for the reception of the ends of louvers, means for securing the sheet metal louver supporting members to the sheet metal body ad- J'acent the front opening thereof, louvers carried in the front opening of the sheet metal body by the louver receiving channels provided by the sheet metal louver supporting members behind the internal flange, an integral inturned flange on the rear face of the sheet metal body all about the rear opening and having a pair of integral internal side flanges on two opposed sides of the rear opening, a pair of spaced pivot holes in each side flange, a pair of doors having pivot pins extending into the holes in the side flanges for pivotally mounting the doors in the rear opening of the sheet metal body between the side flanges, a strip secured to the sheet metal body and extending-midway across the rear opening of the sheet metal body between the two opposed side flanges and behind the doors, the doors engaging the strip and the inturned flange on the rear face of the sheet metal body when they are closed, a screen within the sheet metal body, and means for supporting the screen in the sheet metal. body immediately behind the louvers.

3. A light transmitting and ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks. comprising a substantially rectangular hollow sheet metal body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an integral inturned flange on the front face of the sheet metal body all aboutvthe front opening, sheet metal louver supporting members providing channels for the reception of the ends of louvers, means for securing the sheet metal louver supporting members to the sheet metal body adjacent the front opening thereof, a plurality-0f light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and carried by the louver-receiving channels provided by the sheet metal louver supporting members behind the internal flange, an integral inturned flange on the rear face of the sheet metal body all about therear opening and having integral internal side flanges on two opposed sides of the-rear openingpivot holes in the side flanges, a light transmitting door having pivot pins extending into the holes in the side flanges for pivotally mounting the door in the rear opening of the sheet metal body between the side flanges, a

screen within the sheet metal body, and means for supporting the screen in the sheet metal body immediately behind the louvers.

NATHAN COWAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 591,620 Buchanan Oct. 12, 1897 839,231 Townsend Dec. 25, 1906 872,979 Townsend Dec. 3, 1907 1,204,321 Shipp Nov. 7. 1916 1,394,227 Shenton Oct. 18, 1921 Number Number 

